month ago. Gates played 11 minutes, missed his o

CHASKA, Minn. -- Two days before the Ryder Cup, Phil Mickelson went back 12 years to drive home a point that the Americans are prepared to play their best golf.And along the way, he disparaged yet another former captain.This time, his target was Hal Sutton.Mickelson was the catalyst for change at the last Ryder Cup when he publicly questioned Tom Watsons heavy-handed style -- with Watson sitting at the same table -- after another American loss at Gleneagles. That led to the PGA of America creating a task force allowing for player involvement.When you look back on what the difference is, when players are put in a position to succeed, more often than not they tend to succeed, Mickelson said. And when they are put in positions to fail, most of the time they tend to fail.In a conversation Wednesday on how much a captain matters in the Ryder Cup, Mickelson looked across the room and said, Let me give you an example, if I may.He went back to 2004 when the Americans suffered their worst loss ever in the Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills. Nothing illustrated their failure more than when U.S. captain Hal Sutton put Mickelson and Tiger Woods together for the first time. They lost two matches in one day.Mickelson was lampooned that week for practicing on an adjacent course as he tried to adjust to the golf ball used by Woods.We ended up not playing well. Was that the problem? I mean, maybe, Mickelson said. But we were told two days before that we were playing together, and that gave us no time to work together and prepare.Mickelson said having to learn how to hit a different golf ball forced him to abandon his own preparations to get sharp.In the history of my career, I have never ball-tested two days prior to a major, Mickelson said. It doesnt allow me to play my best. What allows me to play my best is to learn the course, sharpen my touch on the greens, sharpen my chipping out of the rough and ball-striking and so forth. Instead, Im taking four or five hours, and Im out trying to learn another ball to allow us to play our best.Mickelson said he wasnt trying to knock Sutton. He said he liked how decisive Sutton was that week.But thats an example of starting with the captain. That put us in a position to fail. And we failed monumentally, absolutely, he said. But to say, `Well, you just need to play better, that is so misinformed. Because you will play how you prepare.Sutton was bemused that Mickelson would bring that up now.My God, somebodys got to be the fall guy, he told Golfweek magazine. If it needs to be me, I can be that. I dont have anything to say to that. My God. The world saw what happened. They saw it. I didnt have to cover it up. ... I find it amusing that thats an issue at the 2016 Ryder Cup. I think Phil better get his mind on what he needs to have it on this week instead of on something that happened 10 years ago. ...It couldnt be their fault, he said. It had to be somebody elses fault. It had to be Hal Suttons fault. Had to be.U.S. captain Davis Love III said Mickelson was only trying to set the record straight because some analysts just keep bringing it up over and over and over again, though Mickelson mentioned Oakland Hills unprompted in his news conference.And Mickelson failed to mention that he switched equipment from Titleist to Callaway a week before the matches.Hal was an incredible captain, said Love, who played on that team and went 1-3-1. I think Phil is looking forward to whats happened over the last year and weve learned a lot from all of our past captains on how we need to do this together.He said Sutton was with the U.S. team on Tuesday night and it was an inspiration to see him.Mickelson is more optimistic than ever that the Americans can end two decades of futility against Europe, which has won eight of the last 10 times. Mickelson is playing his record 11th straight Ryder Cup, qualifying for every one of those teams, yet he has been on the winning side only twice.Two years ago, he was visibly angry after the loss at Gleneagles about the U.S. getting away from what worked under Paul Azinger in a rare 2008 victory, and what seems to work every year at the Presidents Cup against an international team that is not nearly as formidable as Europe.Love was captain at Medinah in 2012 when the Americans had a 10-6 lead going into singles, only to win three of the 12 singles matches as Europe rallied to win. Mickelson and Woods were part of that task force that agreed to bring Love back.This is a year where we feel as though Captain Love has been putting us in a position to succeed, Mickelson said. Hes taken input from all parties. Hes making decisions that have allowed us to prepare our best and play our best, and I believe that we will play our best. Nike Air Vapormax Plus Cheap . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. Nike Vapormax Flyknit Australia . Siddikur, whose previous win on the circuit came in Brunei three years ago, finished his bogey-free round with a birdie on the 18th for a total of 17-under 199. Indias Shiv Chowrasia, who has finished runner-up in this tournament twice, was in second place after a 66. http://www.vapormaxaustraliashoes.com/ . The lawyers filed a 33-page amended complaint Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan, expanding on the suit originally filed Oct. 3 in New York Supreme Court. Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz last week refused to compel Selig to testify in the grievance, and Rodriguez then walked out of the hearing without testifying. Nike Vapormax Off White Australia .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Nike Tn Mens Sale .C. -- When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. CINCINNATI -- The rematch was no match at all. Xaviers defense made sure of it.J.P. Macura scored 18 points, and Xaviers defense dug in during a dominant first half, sending the ninth-ranked Musketeers to a 64-42 victory over Northern Iowa on Saturday.Xavier (6-0) completely controlled a matchup of teams playing for the second time in six days. The Musketeers beat Northern Iowa 67-59 for championship of Tire Pros Invitational in Orlando last Sunday.This time, it was no contest. Xavier knew exactly what to expect the second time around.I think its easy, coach Chris Mack said . Northern Iowa always runs the same three plays to start the game. Im sure the players are like, `Weve got it. I was really excited about our mindset today.Edmond Sumner had 14 points and seven assists, making Xaviers offense get into a flow quickly.The Musketeers looked very comfortable in their second go-round against the Panthers (3-2). Northern Iowa had trouble finding open shots while Xavier raced ahead 30-10, going 4 of 13 from the field with seven turnovers as Xaviers defense gave its best performance of the season.The Musketeers led 35-12 at halftime, the fewest points they had allowed in any half for 34 years.Thats the best half weve played since Ive been here, said Macura , a junior. We were talking really well. We were in each others gaps.Xavier pushed the lead to 26 points early in the second half and was never threatened. Jeremy Morgan scored 14 points -- all in the second half -- for Northern Iowa. Morgan had 20 points in their game on Sunday, but missed all of his four shots in the first half while Xavier took control.The Panthers had made at least 10 3-pointers in each of their first four games this season, going 10 of 24 against Xavier on Sunday. They were only 6 of 18 in the rematch. Xavier had a 42-20 edge in rebounds, getting 15 on offense.They made it obvious that they did a better job of preparing their guys for what was the rematch, if you will, Northern Iowa coachh Ben Jacobson said.dddddddddddd They outplayed us on the glass, they outplayed us in a lot of areas. They outplayed us in the areas that mattered.Northern Iowa shot 33 percent from the field and had only seven assists.I thought the difference in the game was our defensive effort at the outset, Mack said. Good teams lock in on the challenge in the moment. We defended at a really high level, as good as I can remember.BIG PICTURENorthern Iowa: The Panthers are 17-37 all-time against ranked teams, including 2-17 on the road. Both of those road wins came at Wichita State -- last season and in 2006.Xavier: Kaiser Gates got into a game for the first time. The sophomore forward was counted upon to be an integral part of Xaviers overhauled front line, but tore cartilage in his left knee and had surgery a month ago. Gates played 11 minutes, missed his only shot, got two rebounds and picked up three fouls -- not bad for someone whos had only three practices.He had a phenomenal summer, Mack said. Hes in great position as we move forward.SEE YOU SOONXavier hadnt played consecutive games against a nonconference team since it faced Yale twice in 1960. It was the eighth time in school history that the Musketeers played someone in back-to-back games out of conference.OUCHNorthern Iowas Klint Carlson picked up third foul with 7:48 left in the first half, even though the Panthers were playing zone. Carlson finished with 11 points and three rebounds in 24 minutes. Forward Bennett Koch fouled out with 8:15 to go after scoring five points and getting two rebounds.POLL IMPLICATIONSXavier played its most complete game yet and has shown improvement each time out after a couple of close opening wins.UP NEXTNorthern Iowa hosts George Mason on Wednesday.Xavier hosts North Dakota State on Tuesday.---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org ' ' '